Log Splitter Overflows Hydraulic Fluid In Vertical Position

[TerryR]

I've had a Troy-Bilt (MTD) 27-ton log splitter for several years and it's worked fine. Today for the first time I used it with the ram in the vertical position. I found when I retracted the ram all the way that hydraulic fluid spurted rather vigorously out of the vent. It's never done that when operating in the horizontal position.

I don't see any logical reason why the system should hold less fluid in the vertical position. Maybe it's just over-full and when it's vertical the return hose drains back into the tank causing the overflow? Any other ideas?

 

[Jim Nelson]

Is your machine level? If my splitter is a little off level with the vent on the lower side it will pour out a surprising amount of oil. Ive learned that if I have to work in an area that's not pretty flat I need the vent on the high side.

 

[TerryR]

Jim,

The axle was level, though the tongue was raised a couple of inches. But it stopped leaking after I put the ram down to horizontal, so that seems to be a key element.

 

[MIkeWard]

you may have too much oil in the tank.
check the fill level with the ram in the vertical position and retracted , oil needs room to expand when heated.

 

[TerryR]

Good, point, Mike. I checked the oil level this morning when it was cold, as the instructions say. It's mid-way between the high and low marks, both with the ram horizontal and vertical as I would expect. Seems like the oil level is just as the manufacturer specifies.

I used it this morning in vertical position for a while while it was cold and no overflow. I didn't use it again vertical after the oil got hot.

 

[TerryR]

Jim,

Looks like you are right about the slope. I thought it was level but looking today I see the vent side is an inch or more lower than the other. Turning it so the vent is high fixed the issue.

I'm still not sure why operating it in vertical makes that much difference when it's hot but none when it's cold. Maybe the theory that the return hose drains into the tank when it's vertical is it, and the oil is too viscous to drain when it's cold?

 

[MIkeWard]

Glad you got it figured out.
the only time my fluid came out the vent hole was when the vent side was a couple of inches lower than the other side

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Mine just did the same thing to me today. Had the vent side a few inches lower than the other side, and had the tongue also a few inches high. Came streaming out of the vent pretty fast. Surprising on how level it needs to be to be "level".

 

[Bavarian]

It's more like your traktor's tanks can't swallow the amount of oil coming back from the splitter.

 

[yomax4]

I had the same issue and I added a 6" tall pipe to the vent hole and that helped a lot.